Big Weekend

Don't miss Broadway in Cincinnati's production of "School of Rock: The Musical" based on the hit movie about a rocker/substitute teacher who teaches his students how to be rock stars. Then take the family to U.S. Bank Arena for all the action of a Cincinnati Cyclones hockey game.

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Combining Cocktails and History in Cincinnati

Molly Wellmann's bar business combines her love of cocktails and local history with a passion for Cincinnati.

Myrtle's Punch House

Molly Wellmann’s eyes light up when she talks about history. Especially when that history connects her two passions: Cincinnati and cocktail culture.

From notorious local Prohibition-era bootlegger George Remus, to the stories behind vintage libations, to the region’s long tradition of bourbon- and beer-making, Wellmann is a walking Wikipedia of Cincinnati’s boozy past as a hub for distilling and brewing.

Wellmann has harnessed her enthusiasm for cocktails and history in a group of neighborhood watering holes and craft cocktail bars stamped with her own personal touch. “All of my bars are like you’re walking into a party in my house,” Wellmann says. “You come in, you sit down, you’re greeted, you’re taken care of, you enjoy a great cocktail and great conversation.”

Myrtle's Punch House

Myrtle’s Punch House in the popular East Walnut Hills business district typifies Wellmann’s aesthetic. Historically, she says, Cincinnati neighborhoods were anchored by two institutions: the church and the tavern. Just a block north of Myrtle’s, the steeple of St. Francis de Sales soars above Madison Road. “The whole point of opening Myrtle’s was the community,” she says. “The church was there. We brought the tavern.”

Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar

Other Wellmann Brands spots are just as neighborhood-centric. At the Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar in Covington, bartenders get six months of training in everything whiskey. Wellmann’s bartenders create inspired cocktails using juices, syrups and mixers made in house with local ingredients where possible. Newly reopened Melt Ecltic Cafe in Northside reflects the vibrancy and diversity of the neighborhood. That same vibe can now be enjoyed inside the new Melt Eclectic Cafe at the Contemporary Arts Center in the heart of downtown.

This seventh-generation Cincinnatian says the local hospitality scene is unlike any other city’s. “There’s a magic in Cincinnati that you can’t find anywhere else,” she says. “I’ve lived in San Francisco and traveled extensively, and I’ve always found Cincinnati to be so comfortable, so approachable.”